Been drinking a lot of different tea lately. Here's one that stood out (and the cheapest one at that).
Koshun cultivar from Shiga prefecture, by way of Thes-du-japon. Only 1000yen, yet one of the finest teas I've had this year. I'm using over 2 grams to one ounce leaf water, and it's not astringent at all (koshun can get astringent), just barely a hint of bitter. It's beautiful really.
Shame they seem to have sold all out of it, though I do notice now they have the koshun from Tenryu, which I had last year, and is only slightly more expensive, but which stood up there with their most expensive tea the Tobetto.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Beautiful teaware, thanks for sharing!debunix wrote:Another day started with Tsuen Aoi sencha from O-Cha. Brewing this one up in Petr's shino kyusu, I made 5 infusions, approximately 90" 170°F, 45 seconds 150°F (didn't set kettle to reheat in between), 1 minute 190°F, and 2 at 2-3 minutes, 205°F. The next to the last infusion--the first at 205°F, was the best. Sweet, floral, almost fruity, yet very delicately green and vegetal, without the hint of brininess in the first infusions. So nice at every stage, but something clicked at the 4th and it was superb.
161112 Daily Tea _DEB9314 by D B, on Flickr
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Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
I purchased a bag of Sae Mindoro Kabusecha from O-Cha this year based on something I read on Teachat. I usually avoid sencha and focus on Karigane and Gyokuro because I'm overly sensitive to bitterness. This tea has always been too mild for my taste. Yesterday I decided to steep it in an unglazed Andresz Bero pot which somehow brought out a sweeter note and improved the flavor profile of the tea. That's a snow crackle glazed cup from Greenwood Studio.
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Last edited by JRS22 on Nov 18th, '16, 06:31, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Just had some of O-cha's watsuka sencha, their most expensive sencha on their site. My first impression, after opening the bag and smelling it, was that it was gyokuro, not sencha. Brewing it was the same. This tea definitely tastes like it was shaded, which from what I gather, isn't all that surprising for Uji-cha, since a lot of tea labeled sencha is still shaded in some capacity.
I did like it though, but whether it was worth price or not would probably depend on how much you like a sencha/gyokuro hybrid tasting tea (I take it this is what kabusecha is, though I've only ever had gyokuro, so that's my only basis for comparison).
I did like it though, but whether it was worth price or not would probably depend on how much you like a sencha/gyokuro hybrid tasting tea (I take it this is what kabusecha is, though I've only ever had gyokuro, so that's my only basis for comparison).
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
The price didn't sound high until I realized that it was for 30 grams. Right now I'm awaiting an order of machine picked gyokuro from Thes du Japon which might be coming at the sencha gyokuro divide from the other direction. If the turn out to be habit forming at least they're affordable.Teaarch wrote:Just had some of O-cha's watsuka sencha, their most expensive sencha on their site. My first impression, after opening the bag and smelling it, was that it was gyokuro, not sencha. Brewing it was the same. This tea definitely tastes like it was shaded, which from what I gather, isn't all that surprising for Uji-cha, since a lot of tea labeled sencha is still shaded in some capacity.
I did like it though, but whether it was worth price or not would probably depend on how much you like a sencha/gyokuro hybrid tasting tea (I take it this is what kabusecha is, though I've only ever had gyokuro, so that's my only basis for comparison).
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
If it is the one from Uji Tawara, I thought it just passable and not anything like a good gyokuro should be. For a great gyokuro, try Hojo's Asahina.JRS22 wrote:The price didn't sound high until I realized that it was for 30 grams. Right now I'm awaiting an order of machine picked gyokuro from Thes du Japon which might be coming at the sencha gyokuro divide from the other direction. If the turn out to be habit forming at least they're affordable.Teaarch wrote:Just had some of O-cha's watsuka sencha, their most expensive sencha on their site. My first impression, after opening the bag and smelling it, was that it was gyokuro, not sencha. Brewing it was the same. This tea definitely tastes like it was shaded, which from what I gather, isn't all that surprising for Uji-cha, since a lot of tea labeled sencha is still shaded in some capacity.
I did like it though, but whether it was worth price or not would probably depend on how much you like a sencha/gyokuro hybrid tasting tea (I take it this is what kabusecha is, though I've only ever had gyokuro, so that's my only basis for comparison).
The sencha from Okawa Oma, Yamakai cultivar is very good from TDJ.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Just wanted to add that the Gyokuro from Uji Tawara seems to improve with more leaf. I just prepared some with 6g/60ml @55c for 2 min. Much better, but not what I really look for in a Gyokuro.Tead Off wrote:If it is the one from Uji Tawara, I thought it just passable and not anything like a good gyokuro should be. For a great gyokuro, try Hojo's Asahina.JRS22 wrote:The price didn't sound high until I realized that it was for 30 grams. Right now I'm awaiting an order of machine picked gyokuro from Thes du Japon which might be coming at the sencha gyokuro divide from the other direction. If the turn out to be habit forming at least they're affordable.Teaarch wrote:Just had some of O-cha's watsuka sencha, their most expensive sencha on their site. My first impression, after opening the bag and smelling it, was that it was gyokuro, not sencha. Brewing it was the same. This tea definitely tastes like it was shaded, which from what I gather, isn't all that surprising for Uji-cha, since a lot of tea labeled sencha is still shaded in some capacity.
I did like it though, but whether it was worth price or not would probably depend on how much you like a sencha/gyokuro hybrid tasting tea (I take it this is what kabusecha is, though I've only ever had gyokuro, so that's my only basis for comparison).
The sencha from Okawa Oma, Yamakai cultivar is very good from TDJ.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
I have a pesky problem for a tea drinker in that I'm overly sensitive to bitterness. That's why I usually skip sencha and go high, to gyokuro, and low, to karigane. Hojo's asahina gyokuro is not unreasonable at $51 usd for 100 grams. I was surprised that my favorite Chinese green, TPHK, cost more per gram than the gyo. Hojo's descriptions are so vivid that I think I'll add a small bag of that to my order if I buy the asahina.Tead Off wrote:If it is the one from Uji Tawara, I thought it just passable and not anything like a good gyokuro should be. For a great gyokuro, try Hojo's Asahina.
The sencha from Okawa Oma, Yamakai cultivar is very good from TDJ.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Drinking some very very good Thai Nguyen green tea I picked up in Hanoi earlier this year. By far the best Thai Nguyen green I've ever had and really fine, delicate dry leaves. The fresh aroma has fallen off some but it is still great tea with a little something extra over the good stuff sold elsewhere. I've dedicated a small Yixing pot to sinensis greens and I use a Jianshui for all assamica greens and pu erh maocha.
Nov 24th, '16, 12:30
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debunix
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Aoi sencha from Tsuen via O-Cha. So good. I am very thankful for the tea plant, the tea pluckers, leaf preparers, tea vendors, teaware artisans, and the tea community here that has helped guide me to wonderful moments like this one.
161124 Morning sencha _DEB9370 by D B, on Flickr
Happy Thanksgiving all!
161124 Morning sencha _DEB9370 by D B, on Flickr
Happy Thanksgiving all!
Nov 30th, '16, 00:51
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Joined: May 27th, '12, 12:47
Location: Boston, MA
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
I prepared green tea at 72C today. I don't know why I set the bonavita at that temperature, but I stuck to the setting for 3 infusions. I really loved the 1st & liked the 2nd a lot. The 3rd had some bitterness or perhaps I had reached my limit for green tea. It's not often I drink it. I believe this one is quite good. A month now since I bought it in Taiwan & I wondered about how objective I was at the time of purchase. I had tried some strange oolongs & was having difficulty judging them & drank green tea to sort of clear my palate. I bought that green & forgot about the oolongs that day.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Which green? Try 85C and shorter infusions (one minute, one minute, two minutes). Did that today with some wild high mountain assamica white tea (Vietnamese) at around 95C in a Chaozhou porcelain teapot and it was just phenomenal!ethan wrote:I prepared green tea at 72C today. I don't know why I set the bonavita at that temperature, but I stuck to the setting for 3 infusions. I really loved the 1st & liked the 2nd a lot. The 3rd had some bitterness or perhaps I had reached my limit for green tea. It's not often I drink it. I believe this one is quite good. A month now since I bought it in Taiwan & I wondered about how objective I was at the time of purchase. I had tried some strange oolongs & was having difficulty judging them & drank green tea to sort of clear my palate. I bought that green & forgot about the oolongs that day.
Nov 30th, '16, 11:27
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Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
Jay, I bought the green at the shop where I bought some bug-bitten black tea, Lin Mao Sen (or perhaps the 3 names are in different order). It's < 15 minutes' walk from "our" hostel, now called Starbox.
I was happy at 72C & very short infusion times, 20 - 30 seconds, but played this morning w/ tiny teaware. 75C, seems ideal, a little more flavorful while still avoiding what is "bitterness" or "too vegetal" to me. (85 was too high) Likewise, steeping quickly suits me, but surely not everyone, of course.
I think this is very good but know I am not much of an authority on green tea.
I was happy at 72C & very short infusion times, 20 - 30 seconds, but played this morning w/ tiny teaware. 75C, seems ideal, a little more flavorful while still avoiding what is "bitterness" or "too vegetal" to me. (85 was too high) Likewise, steeping quickly suits me, but surely not everyone, of course.
I think this is very good but know I am not much of an authority on green tea.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
In contrast I'm brewing Vietnamese high mountain wild assamica green with water at just off the boil today. Lots of gushu goodness, and balanced bitterness, sourness and sweetness (lovely huigan too). One minute, one minute and then two minutes. The flavor drops off in infusions two and three, so maybe a single three-to-four minute brew would be better; that or stacked infusions. The Vietnamese brew greens big pot style and keep topping up the pot with hot water--that works very, very well for green teas. I now have a large 70s Yixing dedicated to greens and I'm considering picking up a 70s duanni just for greens too.ethan wrote:Jay, I bought the green at the shop where I bought some bug-bitten black tea, Lin Mao Sen (or perhaps the 3 names are in different order). It's < 15 minutes' walk from "our" hostel, now called Starbox.
I was happy at 72C & very short infusion times, 20 - 30 seconds, but played this morning w/ tiny teaware. 75C, seems ideal, a little more flavorful while still avoiding what is "bitterness" or "too vegetal" to me. (85 was too high) Likewise, steeping quickly suits me, but surely not everyone, of course.
I think this is very good but know I am not much of an authority on green tea.
Brewing as cool as you do will definitely keep the bitterness and chlorophyll notes down, but I feel like I'd be missing something at that low of a temperature. It would definitely be light and sweet, though! I'm the opposite of you in that I tend to use water that's a little too hot because I don't want to miss out on any goodness, but too much heat can overwhelm the aroma and flavor you're trying to elicit from the leaves.
Re: Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?
I've been drinking the Honyama Tsukiji Estate Koshun from TdJ. This is a very good tea with great aroma and flavor ending with a bit of astringency. Careful brewing can minimize the bitter quality of this cultivar, but the bitterness in this tea is really enjoyable, mixing with the overall flavor and aroma, just beautifully. Highly recommended but not for those who are sensitive to bitterness.Teaarch wrote:Been drinking a lot of different tea lately. Here's one that stood out (and the cheapest one at that).
Koshun cultivar from Shiga prefecture, by way of Thes-du-japon. Only 1000yen, yet one of the finest teas I've had this year. I'm using over 2 grams to one ounce leaf water, and it's not astringent at all (koshun can get astringent), just barely a hint of bitter. It's beautiful really.
Shame they seem to have sold all out of it, though I do notice now they have the koshun from Tenryu, which I had last year, and is only slightly more expensive, but which stood up there with their most expensive tea the Tobetto.